Kelly-Moore Paints and Miller Paint Form Strategic Alliance in Puget Sound Market

 PORTLAND, Ore. – April 24, 2012 – Miller Paint Co., Inc. has entered into a strategic agreement with Kelly-Moore Paint Company, Inc. to acquire the business operations and selected assets of ten Kelly-Moore Paints stores located in the Puget Sound area. Miller will maintain and operate nine locations, while a tenth Kelly-Moore store in Kent, Wash., will be closed and consolidated into Miller Paint’s Kent store.  Between now and the transaction close date, scheduled for April 30, 2012, Kelly-Moore and Miller will work together to transition the Kelly-Moore store operations, employees and professional outside sales teams over to Miller Paint. Maintaining the high level of customer service that is the hallmark of both Miller Paint and Kelly-Moore in the Pacific Northwest is at the forefront of this seamless transition. On April 30, ownership of the business at the nine Kelly-Moore stores will transfer to Miller Paint, with no other changes to the store’s operations initially planned.

The new strategic alliance was established to maintain the nine Kelly-Moore stores and expand the exclusive distribution of Kelly-Moore’s architectural paint products in the region through Miller Paint’s current eight store locations. Miller Paint has committed to maintaining and eventually expanding the distribution of the full line of Kelly-Moore products throughout Oregon, Washington and Northern Idaho, where Miller currently operates 40 stores.

 “The expansion of Kelly-Moore’s line through Miller Paint stores in the Puget Sound area will continue Miller Paint’s commitment to provide its customers with the industry’s widest range of quality architectural and industrial paint and related products,” said Steve Dearborn, CEO and president of Miller Paint. “The expansion of our store locations from eight to 17 here in Puget Sound allows us to better serve our professional and retail customers who are already familiar with Miller’s extraordinary level of customer service, our warm and inviting store environment, and our unique color merchandising expertise.” 

 Added President and CEO Steve DeVoe of Kelly-Moore Paints, “We view this alliance with Miller Paint as a positive strategic move for Kelly-Moore Paints in the Puget Sound market.  Now, our Northwest customers will have the added convenience of finding Kelly-Moore products in more store locations than ever before. Ultimately, this strengthens our company. This partnership is specific to this market-it’s not a new company direction overall or an indication of things to come in other markets. We expect to continue to expand to meet and exceed our customers’ needs through new locations and new Kelly-Moore products. In the next two years, we plan to add 13 new stores, in our Northern California market, to complement our existing 141 Kelly-Moore store locations.”

About Miller Paint Company

Miller Paint Co., Inc. is a 100% employee-owned company that has been manufacturing and selling the highest quality paint and coatings products in the Pacific Northwest for over 122 years. Their corporate headquarters and manufacturing facility is located at 12812 NE Whitaker Way, Portland, OR. Website: www.millerpaint.com

About Kelly-Moore Paint Company, Inc.

Headquartered in San Carlos, Calif., Kelly-Moore is one of the largest employee-owned paint companies in the United States, where each employee-owner is committed to offering exceptional customer service. When you call or visit a Kelly-Moore store you are speaking with an owner. A leader and innovator of waterborne-coating technology, Kelly-Moore was the first major paint company to offer recycled paints, along with one of the largest selections of stock colors. Kelly-Moore is one of the few companies to continue to offer stock colors for superior color consistency. Trusted and preferred by professionals since 1946 as the “Painter's Paint Store” for its high quality, performance and consistency, Kelly-Moore's paints are safe and easy to use for everyone. The company’s environmentally friendly paint factory in San Carlos, Calif., is the recipient of four widely recognized and among the most stringent environmental awards. Kelly-Moore is dedicated to giving back to the communities it serves. This ethos is reflected in its corporate giving program and its numerous industry-leading green business accolades.